By DJ Monk
The Outlaw Orchestra have been kicking around the deep South for around and about four years now. Now, that’s the “deep South” of this ‘ere Über Kingdom, y’all understand, ‘cos these good ol’ boys don’t hail from them there Carolinas, or Alabamy, or the swamps of Louisiana – nope, these purveyors of “heavy grass” are from nowhere else than ‘Saint City’ itself, Suvernhampton,, from where they’ve been kickin’ up corndogs, takin’ names and ennertainin’ us all with their brand of south coast fried rock ‘n’ roll with a brace of EPs and now this ‘ere debut long-player…
Ironically, I recently discovered that one of my favourite TV series of the early Eighties, ‘The Dukes Of Hazzard’, is on constant repeat on an obscure cable/satellite channel, and The Outlaw Orchestra provide the perfect soundtrack to preparing for a late-night binge-watching session in the company of Bo, Luke, Daisy and Uncle Jesse – and a bottle or three of thon there moonshine (not that the Duke boys would know where to score us any, of course!)
Paying nodding respect to their English heritage with the album’s title, ‘Pantomime Villains’ proves, as do so many albums, that you don’t have to be from the region with which a musical form is most associated in order to purvey it with affectionate aplomb: I mean, if I had a quid for every desert rock album I was sent by a band from the industrial heartland of northern Italy, I could probably afford a holiday in Nevada by now! With that in mind, this particular orchestra of outlaws can indeed ‘Take A Bow’ for evoking both the spirit and the flavour of the deep south in a way in which many bands from that region genuinely fail to do, and sounding genuine hellbillies in the process…
Yes sir, Bob, cook me up some of that ‘Chicken Fried Snake’ (it’s scrummylicious) and hook me up on the ‘Hanging Tree’, ‘cos I’m a stone cold ‘Whiskey Drinking Liar’ looking a one-way ticket to ‘Arabia’ to do the ‘Jumpin’ Jive’ with my good lady… But, what’s this? Oops, ‘It Happened Again’, and all of a sudden I’m in Noo Orleans where the ‘Voodoo Queen’ has introduced me to ‘Too Much Willie Nelson’, which means that I’m gonna have to ‘Send Some Whiskey Home’, along with several more copies of this ‘ere CD, ‘cos I’ve already burned the first one out…
There is nothing pantomime about these Outlaws, but they definitely come with villainous intent – and that is to fill your soul with good old-fashioned, fun-filled hillbilly-style rock ‘n’ roll. If you’re knowledge of this style of outlander southern rock extends no further than late night festival sessions in the company of over-rated imitators such as Hayseed Dixie, then your need to open your lobes and get a dose of south coast Outlaw blood injected directly into your carotid arteries, so it can absorb into your aural cortexes and leave a massive involuntary smile of your boatrace…
- ‘Pantomime Villains’ is out now. You can get your copy, and loads of other Outlaw Orchestra goodies, HERE.
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